4 arrested in Verde Valley SWAT, PANT operation in Camp Verde; fentanyl, guns found in home

From left to right: Cory Sanks, Bobbi Baysinger, Melvin Sloan and Richard Hill were arrested on a multitude of charges Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, after Verde Valley SWAT and PANT served a search warrant at a home on Hollaman Road in Camp Verde. (YCSO/Courtesy)

From left to right: Cory Sanks, Bobbi Baysinger, Melvin Sloan and Richard Hill were arrested on a multitude of charges Monday, Sept. 20, 2021, after Verde Valley SWAT and PANT served a search warrant at a home on Hollaman Road in Camp Verde. (YCSO/Courtesy)

EDITOR'S NOTE: To read initial story, click here.

CAMP VERDE — Verde Valley SWAT, along with the Partners Against Narcotics Taskforce, served a search warrant on a residence in the town limits of Camp Verde in the early hours of Monday morning, arresting four people on a multitude of charges, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

A few phone call tips to the Independent newsroom early Monday morning from readers in the community stated they heard loud “explosions” and a man talking on a megaphone yelling, “Come out now.”

During the search at a home on Hollaman Road at 4 a.m. Monday, Sept. 20, PANT detectives found approximately 80 grams of meth, 103 fentanyl pills, .5 grams heroin, 20 or so Xanax pills, prescription only pills, 20 LSD tabs, six syringes with psilocybin mushroom spores and butane THC extraction materials, according to YCSO spokesperson Kristin Greene on Tuesday, Sept. 21.

Detectives also found one rifle, three handguns, surveillance equipment and a significant amount of stolen property, Greene added.

Cory Sanks, Bobbi Baysinger, Melvin Sloan and Richard Hill were taken into custody as part of the operation.

“This operation is the culmination of a lot of intelligence gathering, interagency cooperation, and community assistance,” Camp Verde Marshall Corey L. Rowley said. “We made a dent in the drug trade and all its ancillary components last night, but unfortunately our jobs are never done.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

At around 2:30 a.m., Sanks and Baysinger, the primary targets of the investigation, were spotted by PANT detectives at a Circle K, along with the third suspect, Sloan, who was detained after trying to leave the scene.

“Sloan was found in possession of a usable amount of meth and fentanyl. He also had at least one felony warrant,” Greene said in a statement.

Once the three suspects were in custody, PANT with the assistance of the Verde Valley Regional SWAT Team served a warrant at approximately 4 a.m. at the residence on Hollaman Street in order to locate other suspects “who have been plaguing the community with their activities.”

Assisting with the service was Cottonwood K9, YCSO Drone Team, Camp Verde Marshal’s Office deputies and CVMO Animal Control.

“While serving the warrant, another male, Richard Hill was found with a meth pipe and a baggy of meth. Hill also had felony warrants,” Greene said.

CHARGES

Sanks and Baysinger were charged with two counts of dangerous drugs for sale, four counts of possession of dangerous drugs, one count of narcotic drugs for sale, three counts of possession of narcotics, one count of prescription only pill possession, on count of fortification of a building, and one count of possession of a deadly weapon during a drug offense.

Sanks was additionally charged with one count of possession of a deadly weapon as a person prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Sloan and Hill were charged on their on felony warrants and possession.

Follow Brian M. Bergner Jr. on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and SoundCloud at @52MediaWorks. Email him at bbergner@verdenews.com, or call 928-634-2241, ext. 6033.


Donate Report a Typo Contact
Most Read
Event Calendar
Event Calendar link
Submit Event